


Pit Stop

by comeonlight



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon)
Genre: Corny, F/F, Fluff, Open Marriage, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25360003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/comeonlight/pseuds/comeonlight
Summary: Two years later, Cass takes a breather where her tower once stood.
Relationships: Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 44





	Pit Stop

**Author's Note:**

> I never thought I'd be writing fic for Disney outside of Kingdom Hearts but HERE I AM. Hi, I'm in the "just finished TTS and frothing at the mouth over Cassunzel" boat.  
> Eugene is mentioned.

Cassandra shuts her eyes and takes a long breath as Fidella gallops along the dirt road. There’s nothing quite as refreshing as the air of her home continent. It’s a small detail she’d taken for granted until she journeyed overseas. And what a journey it was — encountering different styles of combat, different cuisines, different people. It’s a journey that’s far from over, but Cassandra figures it’s time she came back to Corona for a visit.

Or, relatively close to Corona. Going within the walls would be...complicated. Yes, very... _complicated._

She veers off the road, through some trees and toward a wall of scraggly vines. It looks even more obvious now than it did two years ago. “This way,” she says, sliding off of her saddle. Owl squirms in her coat pocket as she guides Fidella into the hidden tunnel. “My bad. You can go back to sleep.” Owl hoots and shifts a little more, then resumes resting. As the tunnel opens up to the familiar field nestled between cliffs, Cassandra notices something else glaringly obvious: the place has been taken care of. There’s a clear-cut path of grass that’s shorter than the rest, only reaching to her ankles. The grass itself seems...greener, but that could easily be her imagination. “We’ll rest here awhile.”

  
Cassandra removes her coat and sets it on the ground, carefully wrapping it around Owl before unbridling Fidella. She removes the saddle, prompting Fidella to stretch her back and take a walk around. In a way, it’s surprising how peaceful this place is given all that’s happened. The energy here used to be heavy, dark, and full of hurt. And a bunch of other feelings. Now it’s calm and light; warm as if the personification of sunshine had just been dancing and singing and painting in the middle of the field. Maybe she had been, judging by the sparse, tiny stains of purple and red on blades of grass as Cassandra approaches the center. The grass here has also been trimmed to ankle length — in the shape of Corona’s emblem, no less. Could Rapunzel be any more obvious? Well, it’s good that she has a private retreat that isn’t her room. It’s a good spot for stargazing, too. Maybe Cassandra should set up camp here, and enjoy the view this time around instead of brooding in a tower.

A sigh slips into the air. “Someday.” Someday she’ll be back with her head held high. For now, she’ll lie back and close her eyes…

And, after maybe an hour, right at sunset, open them again. Someone’s here.

Cassandra rises to her feet. Given that this place is secure enough for Rapunzel — or hopefully, a certified landscaper — to trim the grass nice and neatly, it’s doubtful that whoever’s approaching is a threat. Sure enough, the head to poke through the vines is familiar and quite frankly, a sight for sore eyes.

Even before Rapunzel takes off in a sprint, Cassandra can see the glow that only her smile gives off.

“Cass!”

And even with hair that only reaches her waist, Rapunzel colliding with her feels like a truck. A familiar, very warm, soft, truck. The body slam sends them both to the ground in a fit of laughs. On Rapunzel's part, at least. And then come the questions. "How are you? Why didn't you tell me you were closeby? Do you know how many stories I've heard about you? Is that a new scar I see? How long have you been rocking the ponytail? I really like it. Oh, and I want an itemized breakdown of your training with Adira. Ah, it’s so good to see you!”

Lively as always. If it were anyone else, Cassandra would roll her eyes and push them off. But for Raps, and _only_ for Raps, Cassandra returns the hug. “Nice to see you too, Raps.” She lets go after a good five seconds, then begins to stand up...and Rapunzel is still holding tight to her. Okay, fine. Cassandra straightens her back and allows Rapunzel to cling to her for as long as she needs to. Or until her patience runs out, whichever comes first.

After about a full minute of silence, Rapunzel takes a step back. Ironically, Cassandra feels a mild urge to hug her again _._ But talking would be more productive. “Now then. On to your questions.” She counts the items on her fingers as she answers. “I’m doing well, I didn’t know for sure I’d be around, no clue about the stories, yes the scar is new — to you, anyway, and I was actually just about to cut the ponytail. It’s been about a month. The Adira story would take a whole night, so…”

“I’ve got time,” Rapunzel says with an almost irresponsible amount of enthusiasm.

“Sure you do, Your Highness,” Cassandra replies with a smirk. “But I’ve got a few questions for you.” Her smirk eases into a kind smile and she cups Rapunzel’s cheek. “How have _you_ been? Where’s my kiss? And where’s Eugene? I know you didn’t come out here alone.”

Rapunzel leans into the touch like it’s the most natural thing in the world, and sighs as if she’d been waiting forever. “I’ve been living happily ever after. This—” She holds her hand over Cassandra’s. “—makes it happier ever after.” Corny. But so very Raps. “Eugene’s by the entrance. When I come here to paint, I usually prefer it to just be me and Pascal.” Cassandra glances at Rapunzel’s shoulders, prompting Rapunzel to add: “He’s with Eugene.”

“And lastly,” Rapunzel says, leaning forward onto the balls of her feet. “I believe I actually owe you six kisses. Plus interest.” Two birthdays, two New Years, two Days of Hearts. Rapunzel can be a goofball alright, but the fact that she keeps tabs on even something as trivial as this implies that the kingdom is in good hands once she succeeds to the throne.

“You’re a dork, Raps,” Cassandra mumbles before their lips meet. The first kiss is chaste. Disciplined. Just as one would expect of a princess and a seasoned warrior. Granted, it might’ve been a different story in a more romantic setting.

“Hey, come to the castle.”

Cassandra blinks. “Huh?”

“Come to the castle,” Rapunzel repeats. “Just for tonight. The whole banishment thing is just a formality, anyway. You know everyone would welcome you.”

Cassandra’s gaze drifts off to the left. “Yeah, but...you know why I can’t go back.”

After all this time, it’s still hard to watch Rapunzel’s pleading expression give way to reluctant acceptance. “...Yeah. Redemption. Sorry for trying to push it. But Cass?”

“Hm?”

“Honestly, and I mean not as…” Rapunzel motions to herself. “...Not as...me, Rapunzel. But as a monarch. I believe that you are plenty strong enough to defend Corona from anything that may come. And I mean _anything.”_

Nothing about that statement is particularly touching, but Cassandra finds herself choked up for a moment. “That— Thank you for that.” Before she can get too embarrassed, she begins to dig through her satchel. “Oh, and this is _extremely_ late, but better late than never.” She pulls out a silver-colored frying pan, and it catches the light of the setting sun, drawing a whistle from a wide-eyed Rapunzel.

“Now that is one handsome pan.”

“Stainless steel, crafted in Arendelle,” Cassandra says as she hands it over. “Allegedly it glows blue if you cook at high temperatures. I found out firsthand that it definitely glows if you hit someone hard enough with it.” She snickers to herself. “Anyway. It’s hard to send anything besides paper, so I wanted to give this to you whenever I saw you next. Which is...now. Yeah. Could you stop looking at me like that?”

Rapunzel’s doing it again. The look. The enchanted, pure-hearted, absolutely smitten look. The look that, once upon a time, Cass never thought she’d be on the receiving end of. “...Actually, don’t stop looking at me like that.”

“I love you, Cass.”

Maybe...one night in Corona wouldn’t hurt. They _do_ have five kisses plus interest to catch up on.

“I love you too, Raps.”

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't figure out where to fit this but please know that one of the nicknames people have given Cass during her travels is "Cast Iron Cassandra."


End file.
